A Truth Discovered
by Lilly Potter
Summary: *Formerly titled The Way It Was* Claire Philips hasn't talked to anyone from Hogwarts in four years. She's about to get a letter that will change everything. *03/03/02* Second Chapter will be up in about a month.


**Title:** A Truth Discovered (1/15) 

**Chapter Title**: Contact 

**Author name:** Lilly Potter 

**Author e-mai**l: lilly_potter22@yahoo.ca 

**Category**: Drama with tidbits of aghast and humor 

**Rating**: PG 

**Spoilers**: All of them I suppose 

**Summary**: Claire Philips hasn't talked to anyone from Hogwarts in four years. She's about to get a letter that will change everything. 

**Disclaimer: **This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros. Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. I created Claire and Ryan Phillips 

**A/N:** I know this chapter is short, but the next chapter will be longer, I swear. I'm just writing this to get rid of writers block. I hope you like and I promise there will be more. 

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Claire Philips sat in a rocking chair on the porch of her house, looking out at the ocean, deep in thought. 

"Claire, what's the matter darling?" Claire turned around to look at her husband. Ryan Philips was still the same tall, muscular boy with the mischievous gray eyes and a mop of brown hair that he had been when she first meet him in her first year of Hogwarts. The way he looked at her with concern just made her fall in love with him all over again. 

"I'm just thinking about Hogwarts and...." She trailed off and looked towards the ocean once more. "I just miss them. I still hate them, but I miss them." Ryan nodded, his eyes sympathetic and understanding. 

"So do I honey, so do I." 

James Potter sat at the desk in his study, looking out the window, "What's the matter, honey?" James turned around and came face to face with his fiancée Lily Evans. 

"I'm just thinking about Claire. I miss her so much and it's been over four years since the last time I talked to her." Lily smiled sympathetically. "We could always invite her to the wedding," Lily suggested. James turned around and looked at her, "Do you think?" 

"Yes I do. She might not come, but you can at least try," James grinned at her. "I think that I will," and he conjured a blank invitation and a quill. "She hasn't talked to anyone from Hogwarts since her Graduation. Do you really think that she'll come?" 

Lily wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek. "I don't know, Sweets, I just don't know." 

_*Five years previous* _

"James! Get your butt down here or I swear I'll kill you," Lily called up the stairs to the boys' dorm. Claire laughed from where she was seated in an armchair by the fire. "That's the spirit, Lil! Show him who's boss!" Lily laughed along with her. 

"Lily! Are James and Sirius ready yet?" questioned Arabella Figg, Lily's best friend and Sirius' girlfriend, as she came through the portrait hole. 

"No. Not yet. I was just trying to get them down." Arabella smiled, "You would think that by their seventh year they would be able to get somewhere on time. Especially since James is Head Boy." 

"You would think," Lily responded. 

"I think that a double date was a wonderful idea," Hannah Johnson, another seventh year, said in a joking voice. "You just chose the wrong guys to do it with. They've never been on time in their lives." 

"Shut up, Hannah," Lily said as she threw a pillow at her. 

"Oh that hurt, Lil, that really hurt," Hannah said as she gave her a wounded look. 

"So, will my love life be as messed up as yours is next year?" all three girls turned to look at Claire who was still in the armchair, smirking at them. 

_*Present_* 

James read over the invitation and the letter that he had attached to it. "I think that this is OK, what do you think?" James turned to Lily and gave her the letter to read over. 

Lily smiled. "I think that this will be OK," and she handed the letter to James who in turn tied it to his owl, Freckles, and sent him on his way. 

"It will take two to three days for him to reach New Zealand, I hope he'll be OK," Lily hugged him around the waist. "I'm sure that Freckles will be fine. We should pray that Claire accepts the invitation." 

The owl flew in the open kitchen window, startling the occupant. It was the most beautiful tawny owl Claire had ever seen before. Claire got a dish of water and set it in front of the tired owl. 

"So, who's this from?" she asked the owl as she untied the letter. Claire sat down at the counter and was about to open it when Ryan walked in. "Who's that from, Hun? He asked as he kissed her on the cheek. "Just a sec," Claire opened the letter. 

_We are pleased to invite Claire and Ryan Philips to _

_the wedding of_

_James Thomas Potter_

_And_

_Lily Rosemary Evan_

_On June 17th, 1978_ _at 1:30 p.m._

_St. Anne's church_

_London, England_

Claire stared at the invitation, not noticing the other piece of paper that fell to the ground. Ryan watched as Claire's face drained of all it's colour. "What is it, honey?" He asked as he gently pried the paper from her hands. 

In a small, almost inaudible voice Claire answered. "It's from my brother." 

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To Be Continued in Chapter 2: "But I never knew!" 


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